Project Management Basics

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Project Management Basics
While I agree with most comments in this excellent forum on project management - I do feel that sometimes we tend to overstate the complexities in PM. Don't ignore the basics of project management!
I have seen project managers become very successful with nothing more than diligence in the basics - like collecting status, providing updates, periodic communication, appropriate escalation, reviewing progress, when appropriate asking for several opinions, treating your customers and team members with courtesy, etc.
In most projects 70-80% of your challenges can be overcome through a steady focus on the basics - typically everybody else pretty much falls in line.
Tasks perceived to be more complex - such as customer management, team management, vendor management, motivating team members, etc will all become much easier if you can simply focus on the basics.

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		Danny, United Arab Emirates
	2 Focus on the Critical 20 Percent in your Project Totally agree Mads. Never forget the Pareto principle as well, work out early what the important 20 percent is and manage that 20% with great diligence to reduce the projects overall complexity. This is what you should report on, the rest will take care of itself.

		David Dicanot Analyst, France
	5 Basics of Project Management are not Enough Hello, although I totally agree with this principle to always come back to the basics in project management, I would just add the comment that project manager responsibility is more and more diluted in complicated matrix organizations. The consequence is that her/his management capabilities, soft skills, influencing people capabilities and network corresponds to the higher part of his activity than in a basic application of project management. What I mean is that people in project teams are less and less dedicated to these projects. The project manager doesn't manage resources dedicated to the project, but managers whose resources are involved in the project. As a consequence, different objectives in term of time, costs, availability and final target can occur within projects.

		Paul D Giammalvo Management Consultant, Indonesia
	2 Project Management - Big Picture versus Detail Oriented Leave the big picture thinking to the MBA's. For a project manager, I want someone who sweats the details. Somehow who pays attention to each and every activity, understanding that all it takes is one (...)

		Tarja Laila Marita Raman Partner, Finland
	1 Franklin's Rhyme on the Importance of Details @Paul D Giammalvo: I really like this Franklin's rhyme, it is very true, but I think it is necessary to have a big picture at first and during the project it is necessary to be exact and then by check (...)

		Emmanuel Daniel. Student (University), Tanzania
	1 Big Picture and Details: A project have goals and objectives to be achieved, The Big Picture! But cutting this picture into pieces give us the details. The important thing is to ensure that the pieces you are producing are (...)

		Ivy Teacher, Netherlands
	3 Project Management 101 Project Management in simple terms is all about how to plan, execute, and complete projects successfully. At its core, project management involves organizing tasks and resources to meet goals on time (...)

		Harsha v GK Project Manager, Australia
	0 Project Management 101 When management is looking for a Ferrari 550, ensure we deliver the Ferrari 550, which should not turn into the Fiat 500. Governance is the absolute key to Project/Program management. (...)